Posted | Comments Off
Island Mele: ‘Get a Job’ and ‘Ukulele Dance’
REVIEW BY JOHN BERGER / jberger@staradvertiser.com
‘Get a Job’
Barefoot Natives (Barefoot Natives)
The Barefoot Natives — Eric Gilliom and Willie K — return with the soundtrack album from their 2011 local comedy film. The film was released on DVD earlier this week so fans of the duo can enjoy their work in both formats.
The CD is a fine demonstration of their range as writers and recording artists. Willie is the primary writer but Gilliom’s work also stands out. For instance, with “Maui Cruiser” he weaves together pop and rock and narrative poetry in describing a comically improbable car.
Willie’s well-known versatility is found in the four originals he contributed. The likely local hit, “Huli Huli Chicken,” is a catchy and commercial ode to the fund-raising favorite — and a clever poke at local singers who affect faux-Jamaican accents.
“Eia La” and “Ke Aloha,” written by both members of the duo, show the guys’ affinity for the hapa haole and Hawaiian music of old.
A pair of Hawaiian standards, “Ahulili” and “Na Pua Lei Ilima,” underscore their appreciation of Hawaiian traditions.
‘Ukulele Dance’
Taimane (Mountain Apple Company)
‘Ukulele virtuoso Taimane Gardner — now officially a one-name artist — displays the breadth of her repertoire with this impressive release.
Taimane and her studio musicians put her distinct stamp on tunes from Broadway, film scores, European classical composers and Led Zeppelin. Four originals show her development as a composer as well.
Audiences tend to be impressed by high-speed “shredding.” There’s plenty of it here, and the band is prominent on some selections. Others emphasize her skill as a soloist and the dramatic effects that can be created with quiet precision. A “Mission Impossible Theme”/“James Bond Theme” is engaging ensemble work. “La Petite Fille De La Mer” is a beautiful solo number.
Producer Jon de Mello adds value with a second DVD disc that contains a beautifully filmed interview and several informal performance segments.
———
John Berger has been a mainstay in the local entertainment scene for more than 40 years. Contact him via email at jberger@staradvertiser.com.
